Deadly Pot Shop Shootout in San Diego–Day After Permitting Begins

27 Apr 2014

Bullets flew between a security guard and two armed robbers at a San Diego medical marijuana dispensary Friday afternoon, according to local news reports. Just Thursday, the city had begun the process of issuing permits for medical marijuana dispensaries.

Armed robbers allegedly entered the shop demanding drugs when gunfire erupted, leaving one robber dead, the security officer wounded and the second suspect on the run, according to a report by CBS 8 News. The security guard was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover.

KUSI News at 10pm remarked, “It is important to point out that this violent incident happens during the same week San Diego begins the process of granting permits to 36 medical marijuana dispensaries.”

The KUSI reporter went on to say: “Some say what happened at the North Park dispensary could be representative of a new frontier as far as criminal activity is concerned. That the marijuana dispensaries could become targets of the criminal element who know they can make off with the two things they want most, pot and cash.”

The permitting process for medical marijuana dispensaries began the day before this incident, Thursday morning, at City Hall. The San Diego Union-Tribunereported that new regulations “will make selling medical marijuana legal for the first time in San Diego.” The Union-Tribune also noted that “several investment groups from places outside San Diego, such as Colorado and Los Angeles, [are] trying to secure properties so they can submit applications.”

San Diego police homicide Lt. Manuel Del Toro said the shop “was operating illegally, as it had no city permit,” according to the U-T.